Tuesday, February 7, 2017

MR. BLOUNT'S REPORT

James H. Blount.

John L. Stevens.

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday,
November 21, 1893.

MR. BLOUNT'S REPORT.

SERIOUS
CHARGES AGAINST EX-MINISTER STEVENS.

Accuses
Him of Collusion in the Overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani—Details of the
Revolution and Seizure of the Government—No Recommendations Offered— Mr.
Stevens Interviewed—Declares It is a Perversion of Facts.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.—Secretary Gresham has
decided to make public all the correspondence and the report of James H. Blount,
the special commissioner sent to Hawaii by President Cleveland to investigate
the revolution which dethroned Queen Liliuokalani and the establishment of the
provisional government.

Mr. Blount arrived at Honolulu, March 20,
1893. In his report he calls attention to his reception by Minister Stevens,
who, "accompanied by a committee from the Annexation
club, came on board the vessel which had brought me. He informed me that this
club had rented an elegant house, well furnished and provided with servants and
a carriage and horses for my use; that I could pay for this accommodation just
what I chose, from nothing up. He urged me very earnestly to accept the offer.
I declined it, and informed him that I should go to a hotel." A committee renewed
the offer, which was declined. He also refused to accept proffered favors from
the ex-queen.

Concerning the position of the United States
in the islands, he says: "The troops from the Boston were doing military duty
for the provisional government. The American flag was floating over the government
building. Within the provisional government conducted its business under an
American protectorate, to be continued according to the avowed purpose of the
American minister, during negotiations with the United States for annexation.
My instructions directed me to make inquiries which in the interest of candor
and truth could not be done when the minds of thousands of Hawaiian citizens
were full of uncertainty as to what the presence of American troops, the American
flag, and the American protectorate implied.

"It seemed necessary that all these
influences must be withdrawn before those inquiries could be prosecuted in a
manner befitting the dignity and power of the United
States. Inspired with such feelings, and confident no disorder would ensue. I directed
the removal of the flag of the United States from the government building and
the return of the American troops to their vessels. This was accomplished without
any demonstration of joy or grief on the part of the populace. The afternoon
before in an interview with President Dole, in response to my inquiries, he
said that the provisional government was now able to preserve order, although it
could not have done so for several weeks after the proclamation establishing it."

Commissioner Blount says that "the causes
of the dethronement of the queen and the establishment of the provisional government
are both remote and proximate."

He then reviews the history of the islands
and the political intrigues at some length. His description of the revolution is
as follows: "Nearly all of the arms on the island of Oahu, in which
Honolulu is situated, were in the possession of the queen's government. A
military force organized and drilled, occupied the stationhouse, the barracks
and the palace, the only points of strategic significance in the event of a
conflict.

"The great body of the people moved on their
usual course. Women and children passed to and fro through the streets, seemingly
unconcerned of any impending danger, and yet there were secret conferences held
by a small body of men some of whom were Germans, some Americans and some
native born subjects of foreign origin.

"On Saturday evening, Jan. 14, they took
up the subject of dethroning the queen and proclaimed a new government with a
view to annexation to the United States. The first and most momentous question
with them was to devise some plan to have the United States troops landed. Mr.
Thurston, who appears to have been the leading spirit, on Sunday sought two
members of the queen's cabinet and urged them to head a movement against the
queen, and to ask Mr. Stevens to land the troops, assuring them that in such an
event Mr. Stevens would do so. Failing to enlist any of the queen's cabinet in
the cause it was necessary to devise some other mode to accomplish this
purpose. A committee of safety, consisting of 13 members, had been formed from
a little body of men assembled in one of W. O. Smith's offices and a deputation
of these informed Mr. Stevens of their plans and arranged with him to land the
troops if they would ask it, 'for the purpose of protecting life and property.'

"It was agreed between him and them that
in the event they should occupy the government building and proclaim a new government
he would recognize it. The two leading members of the committee, Messrs.
Thurston and Smith, growing uneasy as to the safety of their persons, went to
him to know if he would protect them in the event of their arrest by the
authorities, to which he gave his assent. At the mass meeting called by the
committee of safety on Jan. 16 there was no communication to the crowd of any
purpose to dethrone the queen or to change the form of government but only to
authorize the committee, to take steps to prevent a consummation of the queen's
purposes and to have guarantees of public safety.

"The committee on public safety had kept
their purpose from the public view at this mass meeting and their small
gatherings for fear of proceedings against them by the government by the queen.
After the mass meeting had closed, a call on the American minister for troops
was made and signed indiscriminately by Germans, Americans and by Hawaiian
subjects of foreign extraction."

The commissioner says the response to that
call does not appear on the files of the legation.

"That
very night the committee on public safety assembled in a house next to Minister
Stevens' residence.

"J. H. Soper, an American, was elected to
command the military forces.

"It was on Monday evening, Jan. 16, at 5
o'clock that United States troops were landed.

"Not much time elapsed before it was
given out by members of the committee of safety that they were designed to
support them.

"At the palace, with the cabinet, amongst
the leaders of the queen's military forces and the great body of the people who
were loyal to the queen, the apprehension came that it was a movement hostile
to the existing government. Protests were filed by the minister of foreign affairs
and by the government of the island against the landing of troops. Parker and
Peterson testify that on Tuesday at 1 o'clock they called on Mr. Stevens and by
him were informed that in the event the queen's forces assailed the insurrectionary
forces he would intervene. At 2:30 o'clock of the same day the members of the
provisional government proceeded to the government building in squads and read
their proclamation. They had separated in their march to the government building
for fear of observation and arrest."

Mr. Blount describes the location of the troops,
showing that the American troops controlled the position of the queen's forces,
and continues: "They were doubtless so located as to suggest to the queen
and her counselors that they were in [cooperation] with the insurrectionary
movement and would, when the emergency arose, manifest it by active support. It
did doubtless suggest to the men who read the proclamation that they were
having the support of the American minister and naval commander and were safe
from personal harm. Why had the American minister located the troops in such a
situation and then assured the members of the committee of safety that on their
occupation of the government building he would recognize it as a de facto, and
as such give it support? Why was the government building designated to them as the
place which, when their proclamation was announced, they would be followed by
his recognition?

"It was not a point of any strategic
consequence. It did not involve the employment of a single soldier. A building
was chosen where there were no troops stationed, where there was no struggle to
be made to obtain access with an American force immediately contiguous, with the
mass of the population impressed with its unfriendly attitude. More than this, before
any demand for surrender had ever been made from the queen or from the
commander or any officer of any of her military forces at any of the points where
her troops were located, the American minister had recognized the provisional government,
and was ready to give it the support of the United States troops."

He shows the position which the queen occupied,
her protest and describes the relationship of men concerned in the revolution. The
various commissioners of the provisional government and Minister Stevens are
quoted and commented upon. Mr. Blount shows that it was a collusion on the part
of the minister and the revolutionists. He goes into the details of the matter
and points out by time and place the haste with which Mr. Stevens acted and by
quoting from Stevens' report and the papers on file at the legation, declares that
the minister misrepresented the revolution to the United States government. He
points the lack of harmony in the statements and criticizes Mr. Stevens,
saying: "Mr. Stevens consulted freely with the leaders of the
revolutionary movement from the evening of the 14th. They disclosed to him all
their plans. They feared arrest and punishment. He promised them protection.
They needed the troops on shore to overawe the queen's supporters and
government. This he agreed to and did furnish.

"They had few arms and no trained soldiers.
They did not mean to fight. It was arranged between them and the American
minister that the proclamation dethroning the queen and organizing a provisional
government should be read from the government building, and he would follow it
with a speedy recognition. All this was to be done with American troops,
provided with small arms and artillery across a narrow stream within a stone's
throw. This was done. The leaders of the revolutionary movement would not have
undertaken it but for Mr. Stevens' promise to protect them against any danger
from the government. But for this their mass meeting would not have been held.
But for this no request to land troops would have been made."

"Had the troops not been [there,] no measures
for the organization of a new government would have been taken. The American
minister and the revolutionary leaders had determined on a new addition to the
United States, and had agreed on the part each was to act to the very
end."

Mr. Blount says that the native race feel that
great wrong has been done them and their queen, when she resigned under protest,
and did not believe that the action of Stevens would be indorsed, and he adds: "Indeed,
who could have supposed that the circumstances surrounding her could have been
foreseen and sanctioned deliberately by the president of the United States. Her
uniform conduct and one prevailing sentiment amongst the natives, point to her
belief as well as their own, that the spirit of justice on the part of the president
would restore her crown."

That is the only thing in the nature of a recommendation
made.

The special commissioner closes with a
description of the industries of the islands, statistics, comparison of the
races, changes in the conditions of the natives and information to show that
they have been badly treated.

PAGE
TWO—EDITORIALS.

Political
Splinters.

"I do not believe a material reduction can be
made in the tariff without creating a deficit."—Congressman Bryan, Democrat of
Nebraska.

President Eliot of Harvard college dropped
into the Democratic party just in time to impart an air of respectability to
the funeral.—New York Commercial Advertiser.

It will be a novelty for the people of New
York not to have to ask D. B. Hill or Boss Croker whether a bill can pass the
legislature of the state.—Chicago Inter-Ocean.

Four thousand people in Hartford, Conn., or
one-tenth of the population, are out of work. And yet the city continues to go
Democratic. Some pupils learn very slowly even in the school where political
object lessons are taught.

◘Dr. Bruno Terne's idea for disposing of city
garbage and sewage is the best one yet. He would have all garbage and sewage
treated in vast laboratories. This could be done without any offensive odor
being attached. The material would be separated into fat and fertilizer. The
grease could be used for soap-making and for lubricating oil. The residue,
after drying, constitutes an admirable fertilizer, which is 17 per cent of the
weight of the original material. It contains ammonia and phosphoric acid,
exactly the substances which agriculturists bring at large expense from
Florida, South America and elsewhere. Heat kills all the microbes that would be
dangerous to health in this way of treating the city refuse. Leibig calculated
that in a city of 1,000,000 every year 45,000,000 pounds of fertilizing
material are produced and mostly go to waste.

◘
Why woman suffrage carried so triumphantly
in Colorado is explained by a dispatch that followed close on the heels of the
one announcing the women's victory. It is that the honest miners of Colorado
who form a large proportion of its citizens want in their home women,
refinement, civilization and family life, without which no state, however rich,
can be prosperous. Therefore they offer suffrage as an inducement to ladies to
come to their commonwealth.

Board of
Trustees.

The adjourned regular meeting of the board
of trustees was held lastevening in the office of the clerk.

The following bills were allowed and ordered
paid:

Street commissioner's pay roll, $90.45

Electric Supply Co. of Syracuse,$93.04

Frank M. Samson, salary, $11.62

F. A. Bickford, salary, $15.51

Buck & Lane, $13.83

D. F. Wallace & Co., $82.19

Police force, 98.00

James E. Saner, taking prisoner to State
Industrial school

at
Rochester, $8.32

Cortland & Homer Electric Light Co.,
$372.45

A new fire pot was ordered to be put in the
furnace at the engine house.

It was decided to order six tons of coal
each for the Emerald and Hitchcock Hose Co.'s buildings.

The meeting was then adjourned till Dec. 4.

SUPERVISORS'
PROCEEDINGS.

Seventh
Day, MONDAY, Nov. 20.

The board was called to order by the
chairman at 10:30 A. M. Upon the calling of the roll every member responded to
his name. The journal of Saturday as read was approved.

Petitions from the assessors of the towns of
Cuyler and Scott were read, but owing to the fact that the matter in question
had not been brought before the board during the first three days of its
session, Mr. Bourne's resolution to refer the same to committee was lost.

A petition of the same nature from the town
of Truxton which had been brought before the board through affidavits on
Tuesday last, was, on motion of Mr. Nelson, referred to committee on erroneous
assessments.

Mr. Miner presented his report as supervisor
of the town of Taylor.

The clerk read an invitation from the
superintendent of the poor asking the board or its representatives to visit the
county farm on Thursday, Nov. 23.

Mr. Bingham, the supervisor of Solon,
presented his annual report, as well as the report of the railroad commissioner
of his town.

On motion of Mr. Holton, the report of the
committee on miscellaneous bills was adopted, and referred to the committee on
appropriations.

Mr. Brown was authorized to add to his town
abstract the bill of R. J. Perry.

On motion of Mr. Nelson,

Resolved, That the claims of the pensioners, Evart McChesny, Alvarado Lansing,
Mrs. Mary Haly of the town of Truxton, to exemption on their assessments to the
amount of money paid on said property out of pension funds as related in their
affidavits be granted, said affidavits having been submitted on or before the
third day of the session.

Mr. Bourne's resolution relative to the hour
of opening and closing the county clerk's office was by his request set down as
a special order for the first day of the adjourned session.

The balance of the morning session was taken
up with committee work and at 12 M. the board took the usual recess.

AFTERNOON
SESSION.

The board resumed its labors at 1 P. M., engaging
in committee work until 3:15, when,
on motion of Mr. Kinyon, the rules were suspended for the transaction of
general business.

Mr. Kinyon presented the report of the
committee on coroner's bills amounting t o $322. The same was referred to the
committee on appropriations.

Mr. Hunt presented the report of the committee
on justices' bills amounting to $92.77 and the same was referred to the
committee on appropriations.

The reports of the railroad commissioners of
the towns of Scott and Solon were read and placed on file as well as the reports
of the supervisors of the towns of Solon and Cincinnatus.

W. H. Foster, the county treasurer-elect, presented
his bond, and the same was accepted and approved by the board.

The clerk read a communication from the
Democratic members of the board designating The Cortland Democrat as being the
paper that fairly represents their party to publish the session laws.

John Maher brings action against the owners
to recover $62.74 for extra material, work and services he performed in building
and repairing the block outside of the contract. Mr. Reynolds denies that he or
the co-defendants are indebted to the plaintiff in any matters in the complaint
and that he fully and more than paid the plaintiff for the material, work or
services he performed in building or repairing the block and that they had fully
paid him a long time before the lien was filed. The defendants deny each and
every allegation not expressly admitted except the service and filing notice of
the lien and claim to have paid him May 1, 1893. They demanded that the
complaint be dismissed and judgment rendered against the complaint and for
costs.

Issue was joined yesterday, a jury was drawn
and the case was adjourned till November 29 at 10 A. M.

—Mr. C. H. V. Elliott has just put in a new
Kelsey furnace at his home on Greenbush-st.

—Buck & Lane's men are at Whitney's
Point slating a large roof and also doing a job of plumbing.

—The Sons of Veterans will hold a sociable
at the residence of Mr. H. M. Kellogg next Monday evening.

—"The Horse Traders'" convention on
Thanksgiving day give a fox chase at the Park Hotel, opposite the fair grounds.

—The Ladies' Aid society of the Universalist
church will meet to-morrow afternoon at Mrs. Marble's, 17 Charles-st. All are
requested to be present.

—Mr. and Mrs. R. B. Fletcher very pleasantly
entertained Saturday evening about fifteen members of Cortlandville grange at
their pleasant home at 115 Clinton-ave.

—Professor Elihu Thomson says that an
umbrella with brass chains hanging from the ends of the ribs makes a complete
protection when held over the head during a thunder storm.

—The graduating class of the Normal have
selected their class colors. They are crushed strawberry and ashes of pearl.
The combination is very pretty and something entirely different from anything
that has been used before.

—The ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare,) so
plentiful in the East, is said to have been originally brought to this country
by the Hessians during the revolution. The seeds at that time were
unintentionally imported in the bedding of the soldiers.

—The breach of promise suit of Bessie Singleheart
vs. J. Walston Do-em-up will occur at Normal hall on Friday evening at 8
o'clock under the auspices of the Gamma Sigma fraternity. The entertainment
will be given for the benefit of the football association. The admission will
be fifteen cents.

—Evidences of the recent Republican victory
begin to appear in Cortland. The wagon
trade has been practically dead here for the last five months, but the Cortland
Wagon Co. has just closed a contract with a party in Kansas City for one
thousand wagons, and orders have been received for the immediate shipment of
one; hundreds of jobs on that contract.

Pickerel
of the Tioughnioga.

The Forest
and Stream publishes the following as a dispatch from Cortland:

The
pickerel fishing along the Tioughnioga and East rivers has been a surprise even
to the oldest of the local anglers. Everybody has been taking pickerel during the
last month or two. Bert Hartranft and W. A. Baker caught eight large ones one
forenoon recently. Messrs. White, Edwards, Fuller, Hillick and Lockhart have
all taken nice catches from the East river and within three miles of Cortland.
The largest catch is credited to Edwards, who in one afternoon caught an even
dozen ranging from ¾ to 2 lbs in weight. The heaviest one I know of was taken
by W. A. Baker. It weighed 2 3/4 lbs. A few local fishermen have lately tried
Locke Pond, Crooked lake, Otisco lake, Little York lake and Dryden lake for pickerel,
but report discouraging luck.